When you work while traveling and especially when you leave for several months or weeks, it is important to bring what is necessary for the smooth running of your small business. So I decided to introduce you to my mobile office: my travel essentials. Everything is on the picture below.
There are several tools that I really can not do without everyday and that I must absolutely take with me. But the biggest challenge is to travel light… So you have to invest in practical and resistant objects.
It’s been a year now that I work in this way. I am therefore a beginner nomadic worker.
To test my mobile office, I first started with short stays. These short trips allowed me to refine my list and improve it.
Often working in cafes or libraries, I use my mobile office even when I’m back home.
Let’s review my essentials. I specify that this article is not sponsored. I do not win anything if you click on the links! There, you know everything.
1. Laptop
It seems obvious, but here I will explain how I chose it. This is a PC Lenovo Yoga 13”. I know that everyone can not stand working on such a small computer screen, but you have to know how to make concessions when you want to be mobile.
Why a PC will you say to me? Simply for budget reasons. My old laptop, an HP Spectre, literally exploded💥 a year ago while I was working for my first client in Singapore.
So I had to replace it as soon as possible by trying to find excellence for the cheapest possible.
But I admit, on my wishlist, is a MacBook Air … Because what I learned as a lesson of this experience is: better to have two laptops.
2. External hard drive
And when your laptop explodes, it is better to have saved ALL your documents on an external hard drive. Or a cloud. Or both. It’s a question of taste.
Mine is a Seagate 1TB. This is the small dark blue box on the right in the photo. It is very flat, light and has sufficient capacity for what I am currently doing.
3. USB hub 4 ports
My laptop is so small that I only have one USB port. It’s far too little to work. As a result, I invested in a 4-ports USB hub Hoco (the small silver box attached to my hard drive) that was very small and lightweight. I can plug in my hard drive, my mouse and two other devices, which is more than enough for me.
4. Wireless mouse
I confess for a long time I worked on my laptop only using the pad. What still happens to me often. My wireless mouse Mazer is not really a must. I do not take it when I go to a cafe.
Still, it remains useful especially when I work on Photoshop or InDesign. It’s much better for my little hands who do not have cramps at the end of the day. And it may save me too much arthritis or osteoarthritis.
Small precision: I did not choose the model, it was a gift with my laptop.
5. Earphones & earphones case
Thanks to Apple, you have to walk around with at least two kinds of headphones! By the way, if you put them in your well wound bag, you’re almost sure to bring them all tangled up.
So I bought a case to keep them in order. This is the small round blue sky on the left in the photo. It is very light and thanks to its shape and color, I find it without problem even if it is at the very bottom of my bag.
6. Universal travel adapter
Who says different countries, says different plugs. The simplest solution is to bring a universal travel adapter. Mine is a Skross. You often find this Swiss brand in many airports.
I strongly advise you to couple this with the USB port. Yes, again USB, because many devices are recharged with a USB cable, as you know.
7. Powerbank
I certainly could have put this item in the first place on the list: my powerbank. I use it all the time, even when I’m not traveling. She is in my purse wherever I go.
When you are community manager and you manage several accounts, it is ESSENTIAL!
I had to change very recently since I ran out of my two old powerbanks. I bought a Cygnett 5000 MAH. I wanted something light and small. For the handbag, it’s better.
It’s still in the testing phase so I do not comment here on its effectiveness.
8. Moleskine Agenda
I have been faithful to it for years. It’s my big drama for traveling: my Moleskine paper diary. And again, I’m not talking about my other notebooks … I even have one with a bamboo cover🙈. It weighs heavily, but I decided not to do without it.
Well, I still chose Moleskine’s lightest model, the one with the soft cover. This is the 18-month agenda that covers the period from June 2018 to December 2019. No, I do not sit on the calendar year but on the “school year” or rather on the theatrical seasons. It’s an old memory of my life as an employee … However, the European school year has not much to do in Asia, but I kept this habit.
I did not choose Moleskine to make my “artist” or my snob but simply because I like the way this agenda is structured: on the left the days of the week, Saturday and Sunday are less spacious to remind you it’s time to rest, and to the right you have space to do your to-do list.
9. Waterproof document case
When you live in a tropical country, you quickly understand that your main enemy is moisture and heavy rains. I bought the fatal weapon to keep my documents: a waterproof document case. And I chose it in orange fluo not to lose it, do not forget it and find it easily.
I put the most important documents: invoices, passport, reservations, plane tickets (yes, because in some airports, they love the paper and want to see your printed ticket), etc.
I try to print as little as possible, just to be nice to our planet and not to burden me with extra weight.
A few more tips
Value for money
I am lucky to live in Asia where I can find a lot of computer equipment at very good prices. The problem is that quality is not always a part of the equipment.
For example, I was happy to have bought a solar battery 🌞 for cheap. Those who follow me on Instagram know how happy I was.
But the disappointment was even greater because my solar battery had to last about 3 weeks!
Besides, if you have a brand to advise me, please, give it to me!
Morality: putting the price for a real brand hurts the wallet, but is certainly more economical in the long run. Be careful.
Where to find good equipment?
My second tip is to look at the material you find at airports. It is precisely made to travel, so often lighter and more compact. And sometimes you can really do good business.
My wishlist as nomad entrepreneure
My next purchase will probably be an anti-noise headphone. In the plane, it’s really effective and it rest your ears and, at the same time, your brain.
What will be yours?
What are your essentials for working?
par Delphine Berclaz